Letters to the editor - Dec. 27, 2013

Published: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 11:17 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 11:17 p.m.

Bicyclists have right to use roads, too

While riding my bicycle on South Third Street by Greenfield Lake today, a motorist in a black car felt it his duty to roll down his passenger window and shout at me that I was supposed to be riding my bicycle on the sidewalk. Less than 300 feet ahead of us alongside the road was a familiar yellow sign depicting a bicycle and stating “Share the Road.”

I wonder if drivers are aware that they are obligated to do so, even if they can’t read? Sidewalks are for pedestrians, not bicycles. There have been numerous incidents in Wilmington in the last couple of years where bicyclists have been injured or killed by inconsiderate, drunk or inattentive drivers.

Getting angry at bike riders because they are using the road does not change the fact that you are indeed required to share the road. And for those of us riding, please obey traffic rules, signal your turns, and get a rearview mirror as well as bright warning lights and a headlight for daytime and night riding. It may save your life.

Brad Kerr, Wilmington

The impatient patient

Something needs to be done about the long wait times experienced in doctors’ offices. When did their time become more important than ours?

I had to wait over an hour to be seen at my last scheduled appointment. After I complained about the wait, I was told that it had been a busy day (it was only 11:30). When I explained that I had heard that excuse before, the doctor told me, “Let’s make this our last appointment.”

Doctors don’t seem to realize that we have financial and time pressures of our own. Clearly my doctor did not value my time or his ability to run a smooth and efficient office.

Why do we have to suffer because of the doctor’s inability to schedule their time?

Thomas McNamara, Leland

Cape Fear Christmas delights

Christmas Eve morning I read your editorial Floundering in Tradition and the article A Cape Fear Christmas aloud to everyone at the breakfast table. We all enjoyed both so much! Thanks to all the experts who help make Santa’s trip through the Cape Fear region trouble-free.

Thank you for the memories and wonderful commentary. Thank you for a great start to Christmas Eve morning.

Anna Kitchin Wilson, Wilmington

White House killing jobs

A recent article by Dana Milbank, liberal editorial writer for The Washington Post – “Congress responsible for unemployment” – is off the mark. The bigger problem affecting the growth in employment are the policies levied by the Obama administration as follows: 1. Delaying the decision (due to specious environmentalist concerns) to build the TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline that would take oil from Alberta’s oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast; 2. Onerous EPA regulations hamstringing the coal industry; and 3. The myriad of “red tape” regulations emanating from hundreds of bureaucrats in Washington representing 13 federal agencies.

These are examples of the “perfect storm” of governmental interference with private job creation. Finally, the Affordable Care Act mandate on employers who have 50 full-time workers to offer health benefits (now delayed until 2015) will have the effect of causing America’s part-time work-force to expand at the expense of full-time jobs.

The finger should be pointed at the real perpetrators behind reducing a stubborn employment growth – the Executive Branch of Government and the legions of bureaucrats dictating to the private sector.

<p class="bold allcaps">Bicyclists have right to use roads, too</p>
<p>While riding my bicycle on South Third Street by <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic64"><b>Greenfield Lake</b></a> today, a motorist in a black car felt it his duty to roll down his passenger window and shout at me that I was supposed to be riding my bicycle on the sidewalk. Less than 300 feet ahead of us alongside the road was a familiar yellow sign depicting a bicycle and stating “Share the Road.”</p><p>I wonder if drivers are aware that they are obligated to do so, even if they can't read? Sidewalks are for pedestrians, not bicycles. There have been numerous incidents in Wilmington in the last couple of years where bicyclists have been injured or killed by inconsiderate, drunk or inattentive drivers.</p><p>Getting angry at bike riders because they are using the road does not change the fact that you are indeed required to share the road. And for those of us riding, please obey traffic rules, signal your turns, and get a rearview mirror as well as bright warning lights and a headlight for daytime and night riding. It may save your life.</p><p>Brad Kerr, Wilmington</p><h3>The impatient patient</h3>
<p>Something needs to be done about the long wait times experienced in doctors' offices. When did their time become more important than ours?</p><p> I had to wait over an hour to be seen at my last scheduled appointment. After I complained about the wait, I was told that it had been a busy day (it was only 11:30). When I explained that I had heard that excuse before, the doctor told me, “Let's make this our last appointment.”</p><p>Doctors don't seem to realize that we have financial and time pressures of our own. Clearly my doctor did not value my time or his ability to run a smooth and efficient office.</p><p>Why do we have to suffer because of the doctor's inability to schedule their time? </p><p>Thomas McNamara, Leland</p><h3>Cape Fear Christmas delights</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/holidays02"><b>Christmas</b></a> Eve morning I read your editorial Floundering in Tradition and the article A Cape Fear Christmas aloud to everyone at the breakfast table. We all enjoyed both so much! Thanks to all the experts who help make Santa's trip through the Cape Fear region trouble-free.</p><p>Thank you for the memories and wonderful commentary. Thank you for a great start to Christmas Eve morning.</p><p>Anna Kitchin Wilson, Wilmington</p><h3>White House killing jobs</h3>
<p>A recent article by Dana Milbank, liberal editorial writer for The Washington Post – “Congress responsible for unemployment” – is off the mark. The bigger problem affecting the growth in employment are the policies levied by the Obama administration as follows: 1. Delaying the decision (due to specious environmentalist concerns) to build the TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline that would take oil from Alberta's oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast; 2. Onerous EPA regulations hamstringing the coal industry; and 3. The myriad of “red tape” regulations emanating from hundreds of bureaucrats in Washington representing 13 federal agencies.</p><p>These are examples of the “perfect storm” of governmental interference with private job creation. Finally, the Affordable Care Act mandate on employers who have 50 full-time workers to offer health benefits (now delayed until 2015) will have the effect of causing America's part-time work-force to expand at the expense of full-time jobs.</p><p>The finger should be pointed at the real perpetrators behind reducing a stubborn employment growth – the Executive Branch of Government and the legions of bureaucrats dictating to the private sector.</p><p>Ron Lafond, Wilmington</p>